Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1887-10-06

SOHe 1,oOV,UJO CatnOllcS, VINO support wv
priests, 6,OO0 churches, 5000 chapels, 81 eccle-
siastic;l serninaries, 700 colleges, 500 hospi-
tails and asylums, and 800 parochial schools,
in which nearly 500, 900 children were taught.
These figures will explain why the pope
takes an interest in America. He has
further reason in the fact that it was the
American minister at Rome, Mr.. Astor, who
by his Intervention saved the splendid Amer
lean College of the Propaganda at Rome
from confiscation by the Italian government
two years ago.
Archbishop Corrigan, Of New York, has
already commissioned DIR. Mcdonnell, his
private secretary, to represent him at the
jubilee. Bishop Loughlin, Of Brooklyn, the
senior bishop Of the American Catholic
church, viii, with many other bishops, at
tend in person, and there will be tests and
laymen delegated from every diocese in the
country to carry gifts and testimonials of all
kinds, as well as copies Of every Catholic
book and newspaper of consequence in Amer
lea to present to the pope.
The present jubilee is intended to be at
tended by none but good feeling. When the
queens jubilee was celebrated the pope or
dered masses to be celebrated throughout
England in honor OF the event. 1t is in the
same spirit that he hopes his own celebration
to be viewed.
1t is few months more than ten years
since Pope Plus TX celebrated his jubilee IN
der very different circumstances. He was
very near to the end Of reign longer than
that Of any previous pope and quite as tenn
pestuous. He had been but recently shorn Of
his temporal power, and he made the jubilee
season the occasion of issuing pastoral letter
on the subject SO bitter as to arouse all Eu-
rope. 1t was but few months later when
he died.
At the time of his death the Vatican was
at war with almost every European power,
and when, after a two days contest in the
early part of 1878, it was announced that the
college of cardinals had ele ted Joachim Vim
cent Pecci to succeed Pho Mono, the knowing
ones shook their heads. A tall, slender,
sweet faced Italian, he had been papal nun
clio to Belgium and had ruled in the sees Of
Spuletto and Perugia. He had been fairly
! successful in these posts, and that was about
all that could be said Of him.
| The same pale faced, seemingly frail man
| is now rated by Catholics as among the great
| est of the popes, of whom he is the 260th. It
| is intended in the coming jubilee to do full
| honor to Pope Leo's achievements, which
have all been accomplished in less than ten
| years.
They may be summed up briefly, although
their results have unquestioEably placed the
Catholic church in a better position than it
has held for generations, besides bringing
about much better and fuller understand
ing between Catholics and nom Catholics.
Pope Leo found the Vatican at war with
Bismarck and the bishops of Germany were
being harassed by the famous Falk laws. The
Falk laws are now practically abolished and
Bismarck and the pope are friends. The
Greek and Latin branches of the church were
fighting. The incoming pope settled that.
| He crushed out the reactionary spirit in
Rome. He has even gone far toward concili,
ating the Italian government. He arbitrated
the dispute between Germany and Spain over
the Caroline Islands. He is on better terms
with all Europe than any other modern pope
has been. By means of the late plenary
council he has thoroughly reorganized the
Catholic church in America, and besides has
approved plans for a national Catholic uni
versity at Washington that is TO cost s., 900 00(
and compare favorably Will any in Europe
These are his more importan. acts, and
although the pope is ~ years old and frail in
health, he is still untiring.
The pope is reported as being extremely
anxious that the jubilee should be in every
sense magnificent affair. There are more
than 200, ,OOO, 900 Catholics under his rule, and
it cannot be doubted that his wishes in thi:
respect will be gratified. Every race ant
color will be represented in Rome during the
month of November, and every language viii
be heard on her streets There are, Of course
the usual rumors that the pope will use tht
Jubilee to astonish the powers Of Europe ant
induce them to restore some of his lost tenn
poral power.
The impression among Catholics is, how
ever, that the pope, who is an old man, an(
who, in the natural course Of things, canno
live many years, wishes to round out Ions
career in a striking and impressive manner
The wish may be pardoned him by those wht
are of his faith and those who are not.
Since he has been pope Leo XIII has un
questionably used whatever power he pos
sessed in conservative manner J. F.